Liam Gallagher may generate more headlines but his brother Noel has proved more adept at selling records, with his first solo album reaching the top of the Official Charts.

Liam's post-Oasis band, Beady Eye, only reached number three with Different Gear, Still Speeding, last year.

His brother's aptly-named debut release, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, has gone straight to number one, notching up sales of over 120,000 in its first week alone.

The fans who helped Noel soar to the top spot, however, might well ponder whether their support could scotch recent hopes of a reconcilliation in 2015, the 20th anniversary of the album that shot Oasis to fame, (What's The Story) Morning Glory. The band suffered an acrimonious split in 2009.

Liam announced last week that he would consider reuniting for the 20th anniversary, albeit with conditions.

"In 2015, if we can put our shit aside, we can tour and play the album in its entirety for the 20th anniversary," Liam said. "I'd be up for that … but there's got to be two-way respect."

Even by Liam's own logic, Noel's new success as a solo artist makes the possibility of a rapprochment more distant.

"I want to put him out of his misery. I think he [Noel] needs to do his solo thing first and realise he's not that good without his brother," Liam said in an interview last week.

Noel announced in July that he intended to release two solo albums.

The follow up, an 18-track collaboration with Amorphous Androgynous would be more "out there" and will be released in 2012, he said.